Declares May 10, 2024 as Provider Appreciation Day in the State of Illinois. Encourages all residents of Illinois to recognize child care providers, the importance of their work, and the immeasurable value they bring to communities.
Urges the State Board of Education to conduct a study on the number of schools, school districts, and other public school associations across the State that currently utilize Native American names, logos, and mascots. Urges the State Board of Education, through conversations with local schools and school districts, to collect findings on what the cost would be for these individual schools and districts to remove and change Native American names, mascots, and logos. Urges the State Board of Education to include its findings in a written report to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2024. Urges schools, school districts, and other public school associations to consider and plan for changing these harmful Native American names, mascots, and logos. Urges the State Board of Education to use all tools available to work towards the immediate end of the practice of using racial slurs as team names in Illinois schools.
Congratulates Grace Wasielewski on placing first for women in her age group of 70 to 74 years old at the 2024 London Marathon. Commends her for her incredible accomplishments in the field of competitive running. Wishes her continued success.
Urges the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to continue taking appropriate action to facilitate equitable access to adolescent and adult vaccinations, including establishing appropriate programs and initiatives to raise public awareness on the importance of adolescent and adult vaccinations. Urges the IDPH to continue working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in-state healthcare providers, and patients to implement an effective and actionable state immunization strategy that includes adult immunizations. Urges the IDPH to continue increasing community resilience to communicable and other emerging disease threats. Urges the IDPH to continue determining goals on which to center the immunization plan. Urges the IDPH to continue exploring federal funding opportunities and partnerships to support vaccine awareness and access programs aligned with the goals established in the state immunization strategy.
Amends the Gender Violence Act. Provides that "gender-related violence" means, among other meanings, contact between a sexual organ from which a condom has been removed and the intimate part of another who did not verbally consent to the condom being removed and contact between an intimate part of the person and a sexual organ of another from which the person removed a condom without verbal consent.
Creates the Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging Station Act. Requires the Department of Transportation to ensure that charging stations in the State are sufficiently accessible to allow independent use by drivers with disabilities, including people who have limited or no hand dexterity, limb differences, or upper extremity amputations and use adaptive driving controls. Requires chargers designed to serve people who use mobility devices to be located on an accessible route. Provides that the Department shall adopt the technical requirements for accessible routes established under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the federal Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA), including walking surfaces, curb ramps, and ramps. Establishes that a charging space with mobility features must provide a vehicle space with a minimum width of at least 11 feet and a minimum length of at least 20 feet. Requires chargers to provide a clear floor or ground space. Requires clear floor or ground spaces to meet ADA requirements for ground and floor surfaces, including criteria for firmness, stability, and slip resistance. Provides that a reasonable number of chargers, as determined by the Department, shall comply with ADA operable parts requirements, including technical requirements for clear floor or ground space, reach ranges, and operation. Provides that a connector must allow operation with one hand and no tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist, and with no more than 5 pounds of force. Provides that all chargers operated or maintained by any entity within the State must comply with the technical requirements for hardware under the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Grants rulemaking authority. Defines terms.
Amends the Co-Responder Pilot Program Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Adds the McHenry County Sheriff's Office to the offices to which the Division is applicable, including that the Office shall establish, subject to appropriation, a co-responder unit no later than 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, including the hiring of personnel as provided in the Division. Makes conforming changes, including in the Counties Code. Provides that, along with the duties described elsewhere in the Division, the unit's social workers are responsible for following up with victims (rather than conducting follow-up visits for victims) who may benefit from mental or behavioral health services.
Creates the Illinois Caregiver Assistance and Resource Portal Act. Requires the Department on Aging, in consultation with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs, to be responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Illinois Caregiver Assistance and Resource Portal (Portal). Provides that the Portal shall serve as a centralized and trusted online platform offering a wide range of resources related to caregiving, including, but not limited to: (1) information on State and federal programs, benefits, and resources on caregiving, long-term care, and at-home care for Illinois residents who are 50 years of age or older; (2) educational materials, articles, and videos on caregiving best practices; and (3) accommodations for users with different language preferences, ensuring the information is accessible to diverse audiences. Sets forth additional resources and information that the Portal may feature, such as information on caregiving resources, home and community-based services that support family caregivers, nursing home care, services and programs offered by Area Agencies on Aging, relevant health care and financial assistance programs, and local support group opportunities for caregivers. Requires the Portal to be designed to be user-friendly and accessible to individuals of all ages and abilities and to include features such as search functionality, language accessibility, and compatibility with assistive technologies to ensure that a diverse range of caregivers can use it. Contains provisions concerning required outreach and promotional campaign efforts to raise awareness of the Portal, reporting requirements, and State and federal funding for the Portal. Requires the Portal to be implemented one year after the effective date of the Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Homelessness Prevention Act. Provides that on an annual basis, a grantee's administrative costs and case management expenses shall not exceed 30% (rather than 15%) of the grant amount it receives under the Department of Human Services' homeless prevention and assistance program.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no group policy of accident and health insurance providing coverage for more than 25 employees that provides pregnancy related benefits may be issued, amended, delivered, or renewed in this State on or after January 1, 2025 unless the policy contains coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. Requires such coverage to include procedures necessary to screen or diagnose a fertilized egg before implantation. Provides that coverage for in vitro fertilization, gamete intrafallopian tube transfer, or zygote intrafallopian tube transfer shall be required only if the procedures: (1) are considered medically appropriate based on clinical guidelines or standards developed by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology; and (2) are performed at medical facilities or clinics that conform to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines for in vitro fertilization or the American Society for Reproductive Medicine minimum standards for practices offering assisted reproductive technologies. Makes changes in the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to provide that infertility insurance must be included in health insurance coverage for employees. Effective immediately.
